Haley: All Social Media Users Should Be ‘Verified’ By Name For ‘National Security’
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has just made what many have described as a “campaign-ending” statement — declaring that the “second thing” she wants to do upon entering the White House is to forcibly remove Americans’ anonymity on the internet, requiring them to be “verified by their name” to protect “national security.”
While many problems are caused by anonymity on the internet, many Americans rely on remaining anonymous to be able to speak their mind freely without risking losing their livelihoods in the era of “cancel culture.”
In fact, the Supreme Court has even explicitly ruled to protect the right to anonymous free speech in the past, in the 1995 case McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission.
“Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority…It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation… at the hand of an intolerant society,” the ruling read, in part.
However, Haley claimed during a Fox News appearance on Tuesday that this anonymity is a threat to “national security.” The Republican presidential candidate feels so strongly about this issue that she declared it to be a day-one priority.
“When I get into office, the first thing we have to do, social media accounts—social media companies, they have to show America their algorithms. Let Americans see why they’re pushing what they’re pushing. The second thing is every person on social media should be verified by their name,” Haley said.
“That’s—first of all, it’s a national security threat. When you do that, all of a sudden people have to stand by what they say. And it gets rid of the Russian bots, the Iranian bots and the Chinese bots. And then you’re gonna get some civility when people know their name is by what they say,” she added.
“And they know their pastor and their family members are gonna see it? It’s gonna help our kids and it’s gonna help our country,” Haley claimed.
Meanwhile, social media users slammed Haley’s comments — including the popular and previously anonymous user known as “Catturd,” who was famously doxxed by a far-left news outlet, leading to threats against their family.
“I’m really starting to believe that Nikki Haley is clinically insane and a complete psychopath. I’m not kidding. She’s nuts,” the popular user wrote, sharing a clip of Haley’s comments.
“Totally disqualifying,” wrote Daily Wire host Matt Walsh.
“Is Nikki Haley aware that the Federalist Papers were written by founding fathers using pseudonyms? Nikki Haley may be one of the most war-mongering and authoritarian candidates for president in some time. She’s completely unhinged. This is blatantly unconstitutional,” wrote independent journalist Glenn Greenwald.
